


Withering

by I_suck_at_naming



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Hallowed blight, I should add him as a character, Lore Exploration, that spooky guy from the animations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 17:09:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16453979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_suck_at_naming/pseuds/I_suck_at_naming
Summary: The Cankers are in bloom, and Dwight and Claudette are the two survivors most interested in it's applications and uses. David doesn't really care, but tags along anyway.





	Withering

**Author's Note:**

> Heya so it's been a while but I just wanted to get something out there. This one's a bit cut short but I just wanted people to be able to look back and see that at least someone thought the Hallowed blight event was pretty cool. Hope y'all enjoy, as always pls leave comments and stuff.

"Come on, Dwight. I'm telling you, there's more of it just a minute away." Claudette called as Dwight got up from his log. 

"Coming, Claude." Dwight said, jogging his way over. As he reached Claudette, David also showed up from a recent trial, not looking too bloody, which was a relief for the pair of them, since Claudette was usually the one who had to patch him up, and Dwight was the one who had to worry his butt as it happened. 

"Oi oi, what ya up to?" He said, swaggering over. "Got some nerd stuff to check up on?" David was only kidding, knowing that Dwight did see himself as a bit of a nerd, what with all the notes he always liked taking.

"That's exactly what we're doing, meathead." Dwight jibed playfully. "Claudette saw some new plants that are growing here. They've only seen them now, so they could be a sign of change." 

"Well that sounds like fun. I'll come along as protection, of course." David winked at the pair. 

"David, I don't know how necessary that'll be." Claudette giggled a little. "I can almost guarantee you there will be no fighting involved and I'll be using some fancy words." 

"Pff, you think I only involve myself in fighting? I'm offended." David put on a little show before taking Claudette to the side. "Don't make me make more excuses for tagging along with me man, yeah?" 

"Hah, sure thing David. Of course you're welcome along." Claudette gave him an awkward but cute pat on the shoulder, which with their height difference was made even more ridiculous. She turned to Dwight. "Let's get going then." With that, the trio led off into the woods.

 

"Where exactly did u see it, Claude?" Dwight asked after a minute of walking. 

"They're very easy to locate. In fact, even in preliminary exposure, I've noticed that they release a pungent smell, similar to durian and some fly traps." She took a quick sniff as if to prove her point. "See? Can you smell that rotten scent? That means we're close. It's even stronger than before." 

David and Dwight both took a whiff of the air. Dwight noticed the faint which had crept up on them. It was pungent and particular. It'd be helpful, since the smell would easily indicate the presence of the plant if they needed to do further analysis.

"It smells like fuckin' shit, eugh." David said very elegantly. 

Claudette and Dwight couldn't help but giggle. "That's a good description too I suppose." Claudette added. "Anyhow, the plant is nearby. Spread out and look out for it." 

The three left each other but made sure to stay in earshot range in case they found something. It was Dwight who first spotted the orange bulbs of the plant. It looked about as gross as the smell might have lead Dwight to believe. It was pulsating and making quiet squelching noises. Overall, the smell, colour and throbbing of the plant made it clear that whatever this thing was, it wasn't anything ever witnessed on earth. 

"Hey guys, I've got it here!" Dwight yelled loud enough to draw the other two over.

"Oh, fuck me. That's sick." David said covering his mouth. "Why does it look like a fuckin butcher's leftovers?" 

Claudette, seemingly immune to the stench, got down on her knees and began examining the plant. "This is fascinating, it's unlike anything I've ever seen. I don't think my botany knowledge covers anything like this." She turns back to the other two with a grin of excitement on her face. "This is totally uncharted territory. We could get to name this plant!"

"If you've got no idea what it's even called, that means it's potentially dangerous." David warned her with a slight sterness in his voice. "Those things've got thorns. Plus, that orange shit can't be anything good." 

"David! With that attitude we never would have discovered antibiotics or antivenoms. We've got to take a certain amount of risk here. In fact..." Claudette pulled out a small piece of fabric and a sharp stone. "I'm gonna grab some of the petals and a drop of that nectar." 

David made a face of doubt but didn't protest as Claudette took her samples. Dwight was somewhere in the middle. These plants were new and exciting, but they could be dangerous too. They didn't exactly look or smell very friendly. 

"There! Dwight, wanna get some sketches in?" Claudette would use all this information to potentially make new tinctures and salves, so it was important to have a diagram to work off of. Dwight was a decent drawer, having done a lot of doodles in his life that he liked to share online. They weren't great, but Claudette always told him how helpful they were, so he just did them as best as he could. 

"Sure let me just get my stuff out." Dwight replied, reaching into his pocket for the notebook that had originally belonged to 'Benedict Baker' and the pencil that came with it. Getting close, Dwight began sketching and David stood to watch a moment before losing interest at the slow and intricate lines being drawn. David never was too paitient.

"I'm gonna take a look around and make sure the area is clear." It sounded like a vaguely good reason to get away. Dwight knew he wouldn't like coming along, but he came anyway just for him. He felt bad. When they got back, he'd spend more time doing what David liked doing, rather than always looking for things to write about or draw. 

Claudette was holding the petals she'd picked up to the moonlight. Looking through them, she could see the typical vascular bundles of any other plant, but they seemed thicker and darker. She considered the possibility that the flower was a fusion of animal and plant tissue. It was unheard of back home, but here, the Entity could twist reality in hundreds of imperceptable ways. If that were the case, this truly would be worth studying. 

Dwight was almost done with his sketch when David came back, looking alarmed, which in turn put Dwight back on his feet in an instant. David put a finger to his mouth to gesture for silence before pointing towards what looked like a clearing. Claudette was also alerted by a soft tug and a hushed shh. David lead them over to the clearing to witness what he'd seen.

The moonlight seemed to thicken and become redder as they crept over. How could moonlight change in an instant? Another one of the Entity's strange abilities, Claudette thought. The moon now resembled a bloodmoon, but much brighter. What they saw next was a cloaked figure crouching by a canker. From this angle, it wasn't clear what was happening, but the plant was welting and drying out, which made Claudette suspect they were desicating the plant by removing the orange fluid that was oozing from the flowers. The figure rose and emptied their syringe into a vial. Whoever they were might have heard them because he looked around. Fortunately, the survivors were use to hiding form prying eyes and remained undetected long enough for the figure to rise and leave. 

"What should we do?" Dwight whispered nervously. "They might be studying the plants just like us." 

"Except I 'ant seen em around the campfire. What if they're a killer? We should just stay safe 'n get back to the fire." David said, turning into his protective self. 

"I thought you weren't one to turn down a fight, David?" Claudette murmered. 

"I do when I got the two of ya to care for." He replied. "This is the safest thing to do for you two." 

Dwight was about ready to concede, but Claudette clearly wasn't as she broke from the brush and began to follow the figure who was now quite far away. 

"The fuck are you doing Morel?" David shouted in a hush tone. 

"I'm quiet and small, he won't see me if I don't want him to. This is important, and I'm willing to take the risk." She spoke back calmly before following the path.

Dwight looked over to David, who was positively fuming. "I mean, we should probably go after her right? In case she does get seen." 

David paused for a moment before letting a little curse out and he followed Claudette, not even checking if Dwight was behind him. 

They reached her and stalked the figure until he reached a busted up ruin. They noted that the path leading up to the ruins were increasingly populated by pustula, as if they grew specifically here better than anywhere else. They watched as the figure knelt down and began to swap out their vials for empty one. The trio hid as they made there way back out, probably to collect more serum. Claudette wondered why they were so interested in it anyway, and more importantly, if they were a friend or foe. 

As the clocked figure turned, Dwight made out a chin with some stubble, but the size of the hood made it impossible to see their eyes. Eventually, the group were alone again.

They were silent for a moment until David broke the silence. "That was a dumb thing to do y'know? You could've got us killed." Claudette looked a bit flushed but shook her head.

"Well, for now he's gone. So let's see if the risk was worth it." 

"You wanna go in there?" David looked like he was going to continue but Dwight stopped him.

"David, let's just take a quick look. I don't doubt it's dangerous, but what if we leave and we never find this place again? All of this will have been for nothing." 

David, for the umpteenth time this hour was fuming but acquiesced since it was Dwight. He knew that they were pushing there luck, but now Dwight was intrigued. That guy had never been seen before. Who knew what that meant about the realms. Were there many campfires? Were there humans who werent survivor or killer? 

David pointed his fingers at both of them in turn. "We are spending five minutes, you get what you need and we get out of here." 

They turned to, what appeared to be, a makeshift lab, equipped with vials, a clamp and flasks and a fire that was brewing a bubbling solution. There were also shackles on the floor, which looked like they were ripped from the walls. Dwight couldn't imagine what strength was required to do that, which just inticed him more to find out what the purpose of this place was. 

"Huh," Claudette said as she was searching through a crate. "Dwight, come check this out." 

As Dwight made his way over, he looked into the box and noticed two sets of clothing. "It looks like Victorian clothing." Dwight took some of the clothing out and looked at it. "It looks like my size too." 

David was sort of just shocked. "You're gonna loot this guy... for clothes?" 

Dwight made a slightly embarassed face. "Well, clothes and research." 

"You lot are mental." He said, shaking his head disapprovingly. 

"Well, if Dwight is keeping them, I'm taking mine too." Claudette added as she got her own clothing out. "It's not like that guy was using it anyway." 

"Well like I said, just grab some stuff and let's go." 

As if to illustrate that point, the group heard a quiet heartbeat in the distance, along with heavy breathing. "Fuck, new plan. We're leaving now!" David growled, grabbing Dwight and Claudette and pulling them away. Claudette had managed to grab a bag full of empty vials and the clothes and Dwight grabbed some schematics and drawings. The trio was lead away by David who ran slightly ahead. They didn't look back as they dove into the foliage and avoided whatever presence was approaching them.

"Well, aren't you glad I showed up?" David said as they reached the campfire. "What was that about not needing protection?" 

"I hadn't anticipated to find a whole makeshift lab, with an owner too." Claudette protested. "And it's not like I don't appreciate your company." 

"I just feel like you two are more excited by your clothes than by those flowers." David said, indicating Dwight who was changing his clothes from his old stuff into... well his new but old stuff. 

"Well maybe Dwight is..." Claudette sighed. 

"Stop that, I look great in this. Just you wait." Dwight called out. "Done."

Dwight stepped out from brush with his new brown attire on. It was a bit stained with the orange flower fluid and came with a key ring and locket. David had to admit to himself that it was kind of cute, like a halloween costume or something. "Ehh? Doesn't this look cool?"

"... You're lucky that those glasses are adorable on you." David grumbled before pulling Dwight in for a light kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> I have some stuff in my drafts but I don't know if I'll post or not cuz it might be a bit much. We'll see, but I hope this is enjoyable for someone.


End file.
